the spirit of the border-第7章

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atmosphere　of　calmnessof　loneliness。



And　this　penetrating　solitude　marred　somewhat　the　pleasure　which　might　have

been　found　in　the　picturesque　scenery；　and　caused　the　voyagers；　to　whom　this

country　was　new；　to　take　less　interest　in　the　gaily…feathered　birds　and

stealthy　animals　that　were　to　be　seen　on　the　way。　By　the　forms　of　wild　life

along　the　banks　of　the　river；　this　strange　intruder　on　their　peace　was

regarded　with　attention。　The　birds　and　beasts　evinced　little　fear　of　the

floating　rafts。　The　sandhill　crane；　stalking　along　the　shore；　lifted　his　long

neck　as　the　unfamiliar　thing　came　floating　by；　and　then　stood　still　and　silent

as　a　statue　until　the　rafts　disappeared　from　view。　Blue…herons　feeding　along

the　bars；　saw　the　unusual　spectacle；　and；　uttering　surprised　〃booms；〃　they

spread　wide　wings　and　lumbered　away　along　the　shore。　The　crows　circled　above

the　voyagers；　cawing　in　not　unfriendly　excitement。　Smaller　birds　alighted　on

the　raised　poles；　and　severala　robin；　a　catbird　and　a　little　brown

wrenventured　with　hesitating　boldness　to　peck　at　the　crumbs　the　girls　threw

to　them。　Deer　waded　knee…deep　in　the　shallow　water；　and；　lifting　their　heads；

instantly　became　motionless　and　absorbed。　Occasionally　a　buffalo　appeared　on　a

level　stretch　of　bank；　and；　tossing　his　huge　head；　seemed　inclined　to　resent

the　coming　of　this　stranger　into　his　domain。



All　day　the　rafts　drifted　steadily　and　swiftly　down　the　river；　presenting　to

the　little　party　ever…varying　pictures　of　densely　wooded　hills；　of　jutting；

broken　cliffs　with　scant　evergreen　growth；　of　long　reaches　of　sandy　bar　that

glistened　golden　in　the　sunlight；　and　over　all　the　flight　and　call　of

wildfowl；　the　flitting　of　woodland　songsters；　and　now　and　then　the　whistle　and

bellow　of　the　horned　watchers　in　the　forest。



The　intense　blue　of　the　vault　above　began　to　pale；　and　low　down　in　the　west　a

few　fleecy　clouds；　gorgeously　golden　for　a　fleeting　instant；　then

crimson…crowned　for　another；　shaded　and　darkened　as　the　setting　sun　sank

behind　the　hills。　Presently　the　red　rays　disappeared；　a　pink　glow　suffused　the

heavens；　and　at　last；　as　gray　twilight　stole　down　over　the　hill…tops；　the

crescent　moon　peeped　above　the　wooded　fringe　of　the　western　bluffs。



〃Hard　an'　fast　she　is；〃　sang　out　Jeff　Lynn；　as　he　fastened　the　rope　to　a　tree

at　the　head　of　a　small　island。　〃All　off　now；　and'　we'll　hev'　supper。　　Thar's　a

fine　spring　under　yon　curly　birch；　an'　I　fetched　along　a　leg　of　deer…meat。

Hungry；　little　'un？〃



He　had　worked　hard　all　day　steering　the　rafts；　yet　Nell　had　seen　him　smiling

at　her　many　times　during　the　journey；　and　he　had　found　time　before　the　early

start　to　arrange　for　her　a　comfortable　seat。　There　was　now　a　solicitude　in　the

frontiersman's　voice　that　touched　her。



〃I　am　famished；〃　she　replied；　with　her　bright　smile。　〃I　am　afraid　I　could　eat

a　whole　deer。〃



They　all　climbed　the　sandy　slope；　and　found　themselves　on　the　summit　of　an

oval　island；　with　a　pretty　glade　in　the　middle　surrounded　by　birches。　　Bill；

the　second　raftsman；　a　stolid；　silent　man；　at　once　swung　his　axe　upon　a　log　of

driftwood。　Mr。　Wells　and　Jim　walked　to　and　fro　under　the　birches；　and　Kate　and

Nell　sat　on　the　grass　watching　with　great　interest　the　old　helmsman　as　he　came

u　from　the　river；　his　brown　hands　and　face　shining　from　the　scrubbing　he　had

given　them。　Soon　he　had　a　fire　cheerfully　blazing；　and　after　laying　out　the

few　utensils；　he　addressed　himself　to　Joe：



〃I'll　tell　ye　right　here；　lad；　good　venison　kin　be　spoiled　by　bad　cuttin'　and

cookin'。　You're　slicin'　it　too　thick。　Seethar！　Now　salt　good；　an'　keep　outen

the　flame；　on　the　red　coals　is　best。〃



With　a　sharpened　stick　Jeff　held　the　thin　slices　over　the　fire　for　a　few

moments。　Then　he　laid　them　aside　on　some　clean　white…oak　chips　Bill's　axe　had

provided。　The　simple　meal　of　meat；　bread；　and　afterward　a　drink　of　the　cold

spring　water；　was　keenly　relished　by　the　hungry　voyagers。　When　it　had　been

eaten；　Jeff　threw　a　log　on　the　fire　and　remarked：



〃Seein'　as　how　we　won't　be　in　redskin　territory　fer　awhile　yit；　we　kin　hev　a

fire。　I'll　allow　ye'll　all　be　chilly　and　damp　from　river…mist　afore　long；　so

toast　yerselves　good。〃



〃How　far　have　we　come　to…day？〃　inquired　Mr。　Wells；　his　mind　always　intent　on

reaching　the　scene　of　his　cherished　undertaking。



〃'Bout　thirty…odd　mile；　I　reckon。　Not　much　on　a　trip；　thet's　sartin；　but　we'll

pick　up　termorrer。　We've　some　quicker　water；　an'　the　rafts　hev　to　go

separate。〃



〃How　quiet！〃　exclaimed　Kate；　suddenly　breaking　the　silence　that　followed　the

frontiersman's　answer。



〃Beautiful！〃　impetuously　said　Nell；　looking　up　at　Joe。　A　quick　flash　from　his

gray　eyes　answered　her；　he　did　not　speak；　indeed　he　had　said　little　to　her

since　the　start；　but　his　glance　showed　her　how　glad　he　was　that　she　felt　the

sweetness　and　content　of　this　wild　land。



〃I　was　never　in　a　wilderness　before；〃　broke　in　the　earnest　voice　of　the　young

minister。　〃I　feel　an　almost　overpowering　sense　of　loneliness。　I　want　to　get

near　to　you　all；　I　feel　lost。　Yet　it　is　grand；　sublime！〃



〃Here　is　the　promised　landthe　fruitful　lifeNature　as　it　was　created　by

God；〃　replied　the　old　minister；　impressively。



〃Tell　us　a　story；〃　said　Nell　to　the　old　frontiersman；　as　he　once　more　joined

the　circle　round　the　fire。



〃So；　little　'un；　ye　want　a　story？〃　queried　Jeff；　taking　up　a　live　coal　and

placing　it　in　the　bowl　of　his　pipe。　He　took　off　his　coon…skin　cap　and

carefully　laid　it　aside。　His　weather…beaten　face　beamed　in　answer　to　the

girl's　request。　He　drew　a　long　and　audible　pull　at　his　black　pipe；　and　send

forth　slowly　a　cloud　of　white　smoke。　Deliberately　poking　the　fire　with　a

stick；　as　if　stirring　into　life　dead　embers　of　the　past；　he　sucked　again　at

his　pipe；　and　emitted　a　great　puff　of　smoke　that　completely　enveloped　the

grizzled　head。　From　out　that　white　cloud　came　his　drawling　voice。



〃Ye've　seen　thet　big　curly　birch　over　thatthet　'un　as　bends　kind　of

sorrowful　like。　Wal；　it　used　to　stand　straight　an'　proud。　I've　knowed　thet

tree　all　the　years　I've　navigated　this　river；　an'　it　seems　natural　like　to　me

thet　it　now　droops　dyin'；　fer　it　shades　the　grave　of　as　young；　an'　sweet；　an'

purty　a　lass　as　yerself；　Miss　Nell。　Rivermen　called　this　island　George's

Island；　'cause　Washington　onct　camped　here；　but　of　late　years　the　name's　got

changed；　an'　the　men　say　suthin'　like　this：　'We'll　try　an'　make　Milly's　birch

afore　sundown；'　jest　as　Bill　and　me　hev　done　to…day。　Some　years　agone　I　was

comin'　up　from　Fort　Henry；　an'　had　on　board　my　slow　old　scow　a　lass　named

Millywe　never　learned　her　other　name。　She　come　to　me　at　the　fort；　an'　tells

as　how　her　folks　hed　been　killed　by　Injuns；　an'　she　wanted　to　git　back　to　Pitt

to　meet　her　sweetheart。　I　was　ag'in　her　comin'　all　along；　an'　fust　off　I　said

'No。〃　But　when　I　seen　tears　in　her　blue　eyes；　an'　she　puts　her　little　hand　on

mine；　I　jest　wilted；　an'　says　to　Jim　Blair；　'She　goes。'　　Wal；　jest　as　might

hev'　been　expectedan'　fact　is　I　looked　fer　itwe　wus　tackled　by　redskins。

Somehow；　Jim　Girty　got　wind　of　us　hevin'　a　lass　aboard；　an'　he　ketched　up　with

us　jest　below　here。　It's　a　bad　place；　called　Shawnee　Rock；　an'　I'll　show　it　to

ye　termorrer。　The　renegade；　with　his　red　devils；　attacked　us　thar；　an'　we　had

a　time　gittin'　away。　Milly　wus　shot。　She　lived　fer　awhile；　a　couple　of　days；

an'　all　the　time　wus　so　patient；　an'　sweet；　an'　brave　with　thet　renegade's

bullet　in　herfer　he　shot　her　when　he　seen　he　couldn't　capture　herthet　thar

wusn't　a　blame　man　of　us　who　wouldn't　hev　died　to　grant　her　prayer；　which　wus

that　she　could　live　to　onct　more　see　her　lover。〃



There　was　a　long　silence；　during　which　the　old　frontiersman　sat　gazing　into

the　fire　with　sad　eyes。



〃We　couldn't　do　nuthin'；　an'　we　buried　her　thar　under　thet　birch；　where　she

smiled　her　last　sad；　sweet　smile；　an'　died。　Ever　since　then　the　river　has　been

eatn'　away　at　this　island。　It's　only　half　as　big　as　it　wus　o